The Government has faced cross-party criticism over changes to bereavement benefits, with peers urging ministers to think again.

Tory former pensions minister Baroness Altmann led demands at question time, while acknowledging the old system needed modernising and the new scheme had "some advantages".

But she said the reforms were designed to "cut" £100 million from welfare spending for bereavement, and bereaved partners without children would get more "at the expense of significantly reduced support for those with young children".

The new Bereavement Support Payment will replace a suite of bereavement benefits and provide bereaved parents with an initial lump sum and up to 18 monthly payments.

Under current legislation, widowed parents can receive payments until their youngest child leaves school.

Work and pensions minister Lord Henley said the new Bereavement Support Payment was intended to help people with the immediate additional costs of bereavement.

It would not be taxed and would be disregarded for income-related benefits to help those on the lowest incomes most..

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Who isn't affected?

People already receiving bereavement benefits or whose spouse/civil partner died before April 6 2017.

Why is it controversial?

Former England football captain Rio Ferdinand, whose wife Rebecca, the mother of their three children, died in 2015 aged 34 after a battle with breast cancer, said recently the Government is "wrong" to cut back on the length of time widowed parents can receive bereavement benefits.

There are winners and losers - 48% will be worse off (with 52% better off) - and overall the Treasury will spend £100m less a year. Charities have warned the payments period is too short and widowed people are often in need of cash for longer. The government insists the changes are a positive thing.